3-Year Funding Package from Jame’s Place Foundation
Greenbank Sports Academy benefits from increased coverage of disability sport via London 2012 Olympics and secures a 3 year funding package from The James’s Place Foundation to finance the Choices for Disability Sport Programme.
International Road Race on Wheels
Greenbank Sports Academy organises an International Road Race on Wheels – wheelchair racing, rollerblading and handcycling in Sefton Park.
Princess Anne Opens the Sports Academy
Official opening of Greenbank Sports Academy by HRH Princess Anne.
Construction of the Sports Academy Begins
Greenbank secures funding from Sport England towards the construction of a Sports Academy for disabled people.
Wheelchair Push #2
Vincent Ross and Gerry Kinsella push a tandem wheelchair from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise money for the construction of a sports and independent living centre (it was to take a further 10 years to realise this dream).
Wheelchair Push #1
Gerry Kinsella pushed his wheelchair 874 miles from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise £30,000 which enabled plans to move forward.
- The opening of Greenbank Sports Academy in 1999 by HRH Princess Anne was the fulfilment of a long held dream of Greenbank to provide accessible sports facilities for disabled people.
- It took almost 20 years to raise the £3 million needed to construct the building, including a mammoth fundraising effort by Greenbank founder Gerry Kinsella and his colleague Vinnie Ross to push from Lands End to John O’Groats in a tandem wheelchair in 1989, which raised approximately £30,000.
- Construction funding was eventually secured from Sport England, European Regional Development Fund, Foundation for Sport and the Arts and Charitable Trusts.
- The Academy has now operated successfully for more than a decade and we are still true to our original ideal with the provision of disability sport at the centre of what we do.
- The Academy covers its running costs by trading in the local community and raising charitable income to enable us to offer a comprehensive programme of disability sports activities.